Tests of Control
by LilCassandra
Summary: Kooza-verse: In Trickster's world, he is the contested master of all around him. What relationship, then, would develop with the one woman that challenged that authority? Trickster/Trapeze Artist. Rated for major sexual situations and kink.
1. First Encounter

_A/N: This is a fanfiction based on Cirque du Soleil's Kooza. All characters can only be understood if you've seen the show, so I make no apologies if you have no idea what I'm talking about._

_Warnings: Rated for sex (duh)_

She couldn't decide why she wanted him, only that perhaps it was their mutual indifference that sparked curiosity. She watched as Trickster controlled those around her like a sadistic child might play with dolls; and yet, he never reached for her, never touched her. Out of all the attention he gave the others, it was his lack of attention that intrigued her.

She knew he watched her as she flew through the sky. Who wouldn't? The fire of her clothes clung perfectly to her skin and only heightened her beauty as she twisted and turned upon the trapeze. Often the others would stop to watch her. Their mouths agape at the fluidity of her movements, and she was tempted to use them and push them away. She had done so before. Now, though, they bored her, and she sought another out.

She only caught Trickster staring at her once. He had come out of the darkness and chuckled at the other gawkers around her. With a gesture, he pointed them away, and they meekly obeyed and left him alone to watch her. But whenever she looked down searching for him, to throw him a small smile, to twist in just the right way that it might drive him mad, he only looked back at her with that frustrating smirk he gave all the others. He spun, gracefully, and she knew it was the same self-assured steps he took with the others when he expected them to entertain him. She gave him no response and continued to swing, purposefully avoiding anything that resembled his movement. Part of her was daring him to retaliate and part of her was worried at what such retaliation would entail. He repeated the movement, far less gracefully this time, and the look in his eyes frightened her. She had rarely seen him angry before and she wouldn't admit to herself that the reaction had made her want him. So she ignored him, continued to twist in the sky, and watched out of the corner of her eye as he stalked away from her. She doubted he would allow her to win this contest of wills, but at least she had triumphed for a moment.

She never saw him watching her and so returned to the solitude of the trapeze, the adrenaline in her as she flew higher and higher in her frustration. The others didn't return to watch her. Only one thing, or person, would have kept them away. Who was he to rob her of her audience? She began to grow angrier, her movements more reckless by the day. It was some days later that, coming down from the trapeze exhausted, he made his move.

If Trickster had wanted, he could have easily made her aware of his presence. But he chose to catch her off her guard, moving behind her and pushing her against a wall that had not existed before. It wouldn't be to her advantage that he could summon what he wanted when he wanted, and she wasn't silly enough to wait around and hope for a fair fight. She pushed him, hard, and he smirked at the challenge, pinning her wrists above her and slamming her back against the wall. His eyes bore into hers and she returned the gaze with equal intensity. She wasn't quite sure if he was looking at her in anger or in lust, but then again she wasn't sure which she felt, either. Feeling him against her, it didn't seem like such an important detail to consider.

He bit her neck marking her, and then softly laughed as he whispered in her ear, "I won't force you to obey. Can't you feel you still have your free will? I will allow you to keep it for now…"

Trickster allowed his voice to trail off and kissed her passionately. Her struggles went unnoticed as he nipped at her lips, only pulling away when she attempted to return the kiss. Leaving her breathless gave him enough time to taunt her with his words once more. "But you will obey me, free will or not."

Anger flared inside of her. How dare he taunt her like this? She wasn't one of his puppets to control at whim. But then he began to kiss her again, gently tracing his fingertips over the bruise on her neck, and any coherent thoughts quickly vanished. Her mind screamed at her to fight, to not give in, but that voice became fainter as he let her wrists go and she melted into his embrace. He began to move his hand down the curve of her breast, so slowly it was almost torture. It wasn't fair how he almost sensed what she needed and would turn his fingers away from any place she hoped he would linger. It wasn't long before she found herself shifting to move closer to his touch, softly whimpering against him. His fingers moved lower, and she caught herself before she moaned. This, at least, he would have to fight to drag from her, and he seemed in no hurry to do so.

Again he bit her, on her shoulders and breasts, through her clothing. She unconsciously arched into it. It was a movement neither of them had anticipated. She squeezed her eyes shut to keep from crying out for wanting this sort of treatment. He remained still until she opened her eyes again, and his smirk had lost the last bit of kindness it had. Now he seemed cruel, calculating, and she dreaded what he might do with this little glimpse at her darker desires. Trickster dragged his nails up her thigh, hard, caring little if he drew blood. She hissed but didn't pull away. If the trapeze had taught her anything, it was that pleasure often came mixed with pain, and she had learned the lesson well.

Trickster never allowed her a moment to know which was next, jumping between scratches and caresses, soft whispers and cruel laughs at her expense. When he felt her slumping back against the wall and unable to keep herself upright, he whispered close again: "Beg for it."

His fingers began to slide up her thigh, feeling through the fabric how badly she needed this. He asked her again, his voice far less patient, but she shook her head. She tried to kiss him and force him to complete the seduction without saying those words and retaining a bit of her dignity. Harshly, he kept her at arm's distance so that she couldn't complete the kiss, then pulled away.

Caressing her cheek and ignoring her faint whimpers, Trickster smiled and adjusted his suit, "The offer remains. Use it whenever you wish."

He walked away from her, into the shadows, leaving every nerve in her body on fire. She walked back to her trapeze, climbing upon it, moving in frenzy to match the depth of passion in his movements, but even this solace didn't soothe her. Unseen, he continued to watch her, and pressed his fingers against his lips, remembering the kiss.

Perhaps it wasn't yet settled who controlled whom.


	2. Pushing the Limits

She began to think that maybe, just maybe, she had been happier when he ignored her. The torment he put her through for days had left her jumping at every rustle or flicker of a shadow. Trickster would come from the darkness, caressing her, kissing her, then ask the same words and depart when she gave the same answer. He had done it for days and hadn't yet grown tired of his game. With her luck, he may never tire of it at all, and it was a cruel dance she was finding impossible to master.

If she could just convince him that she had looked for him out of submission, without having to verbally acknowledge that little detail, maybe he would fulfill her. It was a plan that even one of the idiotic clowns of her world would've easily known was ridiculous, but it was better than nothing.

Trickster had been easier to find ever since he had summoned the Innocent out of his world and into his own. She watched as he allowed the Innocent to take his scepter and play with the lights. Was he actually stupid enough to believe it was a scepter that contained that power, or that Trickster would so easily have relinquished it to someone as unimportant as he? She had seen how Trickster had watched the Innocent and worried that his sick games would lead him to corrupt the child merely because he could. It wasn't as if she cared what happened to the insignificant little annoyance, but any attention focused on another would take him farther away from her, and that she couldn't allow.

She waited until Trickster had left the child with the clowns and then climbed up to his perch where he watched the pathetic spectacle. She moved quietly behind him then reached out her hand to lightly trace her fingertips down his neck. She barely touched him yet he tensed at the contact. Before he could grab her, she turned him around so he faced her, and pressed her lips against his. If he was surprised, he certainly didn't show it. He just stood there and let her continue the kiss.

She opened her eyes and saw his looking back at hers with an equal intensity. Why wasn't he moving towards her? Why was he just standing there? Nipping at his neck, fumbling with the buttons of his suit and running her hands up his chest, nothing would make him move. He was as still and cold as ice, making no movement to either encourage or dissuade her. Those damned eyes of his continued to look at her with amusement and passion but they were the only part of him that felt alive.

Before she could lose her courage, she knelt in front of him and traced her hands up his leg through the cloth. He gripped the handles of the gate behind him hard enough that his already pale hands became bone white, but no other expression changed. Unbuttoning his pants and sliding her hand inside, she began to stroke him. She had grown used to the stillness when he surprised her by grabbing her hair, pulling it hard enough to make her yelp.

She paused, confused, when he finally spoke," Did I say you could stop?"

Warily, she continued, pulling his member out of his pants and stroking it harder. She kept hoping that he would give her some indication of what pleased him and what didn't, but wasn't surprised he had to make this difficult. Trailing kisses down his cock, using her hands to trace random patterns upon his thighs, she began to suck him. She wanted to draw it out and make him feel what he had done to her before, but he had other plans. Harshly, he pushed her head hard so she was forced to take every inch of him, wrapping his fingers in her hair and yanking painfully whenever she tried to move away to breathe. She began to run her tongue up and down his length, sucking harder, and heard him stifle a groan. Smiling, she chose not to show she had heard it, and tucked away the information for later used.

Trickster seemed in no hurry, and she knew they were both in clear view of anyone that would happen to look up. The thought only aroused her further, and she slipper her own hand beneath her clothes to bring herself to orgasm, not trusting him to do much for her despite it all. She moaned around his cock and moved quicker. Right when she was on the edge, he bent down and grabbed her hand and pulled it away, keeping both her wrists pinned above her so she couldn't find release. Frustrated, she almost left him there, but he reached his own orgasm and pushed her head down even harder so she was forced to swallow every drop.

She leaned back on her knees, breathless, eyes glazed over from the exertion. Without giving her a moment, he dragged her up on her feet and turned them so that she was pressed against the gate. He used his nails to rip through her clothes and pressed two fingers inside her, watching as she bit her own lip to keep from screaming. He pushed in another, this time hearing her groan, and picked up his pace as she writhed beneath his touch. When her voice neared to screaming again, he slowed just enough to stop her.

"I told you to beg for this," he whispered, not bothering to hide the chuckle in his voice.

She remained silent, and he jammed a fourth finger inside her, ignoring her screams.

He laughed at her and slowed down, allowing her desire to fall just enough so that she could bring it up again. Again and again she nearly reached her peak, and though words tumbled from her lips as incoherent babble, she never spoke the words that Trickster so longed to hear.

Bringing his fingers to his lips, Trickster licked them clean before adjusting his clothing and continued louder, "You really just want to make this harder on yourself, don't you?"

With a gesture, he repaired her clothing and straightened his own. He climbed down to the Innocent, resuming whatever play they had been at before. Fuming, she turned to watch him stalk away, and promised herself he'd be the one to beg the next time.


	3. Double Mistakes

_Warnings: Other than the usual, we've got threesomes, voyeurism, and mild kink. You've been warned._

Ever since their last encounter, she had found it impossible to find Trickster without the Innocent. They were almost inseparable. It frustrated her to no end that she couldn't think of a single way to win a situation that she had only accidentally entered in the first place. Standing up on Trickster's old haunt overlooking the extent of their world, she leaned against the gate and watched all of its inhabitants, trying to find something to work with. It was on one of these days that she saw the twins with their Wheel of Death. She hadn't paid them much attention before. They were always a set, and she had not considered using more than a single person as her target. But she noticed that Trickster didn't appear once when they came out.

She came back for a few days, watching, and sure enough Trickster was nowhere to be found whenever the twins were out. He couldn't possibly fear them; leaving behind the possibility that he actually respected them. Smiling, she realized she had her answer. Who better to use than someone he considered close to, if not on his own level?

Moving unseen, she hurried back to the ground level to watch them. They certainly weren't the type she would pick out for herself under normal circumstances. Her preferences tended towards the human creatures of her world. Still, their muscles rippled under the little clothing they wore, and the strength and agility they displayed was mesmerizing to watch. This would be no difficult task, after all. She could easily enjoy them.

She moved out of the shadows so that they could see her, and they both turned their heads in her direction. They looked her over appraisingly, turning their heads away to talk to one another. Growing impatient with the length of their little discussion, she looked and saw the Wheel just beyond them. She stalked right through them, stopping their words, then climbed into the Wheel and lay down inside it. Slowly, she traced her fingertips down her chest, looking at them provocatively. They stared at her for a moment longer until she winked at one of them, and they looked at each other, searching for something. One nodded to the other and they stalked towards her, their movements synchronized. One pulled her roughly out of the Wheel as the other wrapped his arms from behind her, trapping her between the two men, if they were men at all. What else could she possibly call them?

All three stood there for a few moments, her wrist beginning to bruise from where he had grabbed her. She caught the eyes of the one in front of her as he nodded to the twin behind her. Suddenly, she could feel teeth biting down upon her neck next to the faded mark Trickster had left upon her. She gasped but found the noise cut off as the other pressed his lips against her own. As she closed her eyes, deepening the kiss, she felt the twin behind her move away then return. Her vision turned black as she felt him drape a cloth in front of her eyes, tying it behind her securely enough that she was blindfolded and disoriented. Gently, one of them lowered her to the floor, and she kept still more out of surprise than anything else.

If this is how they wanted to play it, she wasn't about to stop them. It was confusing enough attempting to keep them apart. Her task could be just as easily accomplished without trying to distinguish them throughout. Her thoughts became interrupted as two sets of hands moved down her body, softer than she had ever expected from them, touching her every curve. She found herself relaxing under them, the sensation an almost welcome contrast to the tension and frustration Trickster always gave her. One set of arms drew her up and began to pull off her clothes as the other bent to kiss her again, his fingertips making patterns behind her neck. It wasn't long before she found herself nude beneath them, unable to tell if anyone else could see, but any thought of causing the Trickster jealousy flew out of her mind as her desire grew in response to these two with her now.

She reached out, trying to find something to grab onto, and felt one of them straddling her, kissing down her stomach. Lips pressed against her own as he continued to move lower down her body. She felt kisses up her thigh and moaned hard, almost pulling away from the kiss to catch her breath. Then she felt his tongue upon her, teasing her as he curled a finger inside of her, and she gasped into the other's kiss. She felt his lips leave her own and instead felt hands upon her breasts, the pads of his fingertips over her quickly hardening nipples as another finger slipped inside her. He moved far too agonizingly slow to allow her to climb towards her release, and she tried to grind against his fingers and speed up the process.

Both pulled away together, leaving her completely deprived of their touch. She was alone on the cold ground for a moment and panicked, wondering if they would leave her like that. Just as suddenly, she felt him slam inside her in one sudden movement. She moaned, then felt him pull her legs up onto his shoulders and move inside her again, hitting just the right spot to make her scream.

Near her, a voice trailed, "Shut her up, won't you?"

She froze. She knew that voice. How long had Trickster been there? She had no time to think as she felt the other (for she could only assume it wasn't Trickster touching her now, with the voice as removed as it was) push his cock against her lips. She tried to take him in, feeling him heavy above her, fucking her mouth and keeping pace with his twin beneath her. He didn't force her, the one still coupling with her the rougher of her two, and she tried to match the amazing sensations being bestowed upon her. She moaned around him, digging her nails into his thighs as she struggled to keep up with them.

Just as she released, seeing stars in front of her clouded vision, she heard one (or was it both?) of them grunting, both releasing inside her. She swallowed every drop and lay still in the haziness of her climax. She barely registered as one of them lifted her up and took the cloth from her eyes. Both of them smiled at her, swooping down to leave her a quick kiss on each cheek, before walking away from her. As the footsteps receded, she heard another set of footsteps near her.

Turning, she saw Trickster's angry eyes upon her as he spoke, "You do know I won't let you get away with sharing with others what's mine, don't you?"

Shuddering, she chose to say nothing at all. The anger in his eyes was enough to silence anyone in that world and most certainly enough to convince her that this was the stupidest plan she had ever come up with.


	4. Attitude

She waited for Trickster to say another word to her, perhaps to scold her, but he continued to stand motionless. She shivered without her clothing and reached for them, but he finally moved, his hand snatching her wrist and pulling her back until she was back at his feet. Clearly she couldn't get out of this so easily, and her shivers of cold began to turn to shivers of genuine fear.

He let her wrist go and slowly began to circle around her, "I've given you your freedom. I've allowed you to submit willingly, one of so few I have given that privilege."

He grabbed her hair so that she cried out and pulled her onto her knees as he continued, "But if this is how you repay me for that kindness, then I will find other methods, and I can promise you they won't be to your liking."

As suddenly as he had grabbed her, Trickster let her go, so that she fell back onto the ground from the surprise of it, "Back to the wheel. That is not a request."

She told herself to do it, that she wanted him badly enough to give him anything, and that even if she didn't it would be better than to face the wrath of the one that could control her entire destiny. But that one second of thought was hesitation enough that he grabbed her arm, this time dragging her half walking and half stumbling back to the wheel. Pushing her back on the ground, Trickster reached for his scepter and flicked it at her, leaving her with her wrists bound tightly to the metal of the wheel. Even if she wanted to escape, it was now impossible.

Smirking at her, he reached down and traced his finger on her cheek, barely grazing her skin but setting her on fire regardless. She turned her head away from him, and then felt him grab her chin and pull him so that their eyes met. He didn't need to speak to make his point clear. She had quickly realized that he would not take any insolence from her this time.

Then, as hardly as he had grabbed her before, he kissed her, catching her off her guard again. She found herself kissing him back. Why even try at this point? She couldn't move. Why not just enjoy it? She felt his fingertips graze down her back and leaned into the kiss further, but found herself unable to from how tightly she was bound. In her frustration, she whimpered, and he pulled back to laugh at her.

"Well?"

Trickster's fingers found their way to her breasts, pulling at her nipples, scratching her down the side of her chest. It was agony, to feel this, to want this, and yet not be able to show him what she craved. She was caught, and as he pulled away, she realized that she wanted him to mark her. She wanted to be his. No, she didn't want to submit, but she needed him enough to do anything for it.

For the first time in their bizarre duel of wills, she barely whispered: "Please."

He said nothing, so she tried again, her voice growing louder, "Please. I'll do whatever you ask, just please end this."

Stooping down to her level, he encircled her in his arms, and she felt relief. She had done what he asked, after all, and couldn't she trust him to keep his own? But it was only short lived, as she heard him whisper above her, "If only you had made this simple. You'll do what I ask, my pet, I don't doubt that."

He pulled her into his arms, holding her so tenderly that she could almost forget the situation she was in, until he spoke yet again, "But I'm afraid your repayment to me has only just begun."


	5. Submission

_Warnings: If you're offended by D/s relationships and a whole mess of BDSM kinks, this is not for you._

In the blink of an eye, Trickster had transported them to the elevated platform where they had once met before. He gently lay her on the ground, then walked to the curtains and closed them. Both the fact that he cared for her privacy and that he bothered to do something himself rather than make a gesture surprised her. This was not Trickster as she knew him before, that much was certain.

He began to circle around her. She was painfully aware that she was still nude, and tried to wrap her arms around herself. Why should she be embarrassed now? But then, this wasn't what she had expected at all, and his previous words had filled her with dread of what he would do and pleasure at the same thought. He grabbed her hands hard enough to leave bruises and pulled them away from her body, pushing her onto her knees so he could see her clearly.

"You are never to hide yourself from me, do you understand? I have closed these curtains because you've already shared enough of what's mine, but that doesn't mean you can hide from me in here."

She mumbled an apology.

"Sorry what?"

She sat, confused, not knowing what he wanted to hear. At her lack of response, he merely smiled that evil smile of his.

"You'll learn soon enough, I suppose, though I still wonder how you possibly thought that plan of yours would do anything other than anger me…"

She blushed as crimson as the clothes she normally wore. He was right, as usual. This was a dangerous man, a creature not to be reckoned with, and she had purposefully provoked him.

"…but I'm starting to believe, little girl, you _want_ to anger me."

She had grown wetter at his calling her by such a name, and blushed deeper out of the humiliation of it. Stuttering, she tried to tell him it wasn't true at all, but suddenly he was kneeling at her level and teasing her nipples. Her nipples were already hard, aching to be touched, and it took all of her self-control to not move into his hands. Running his fingertips over her smooth skin, it was almost as if he was studying her, noting her every response. After a few moments of her remaining unmoved, his smile softened.

"Such a good girl…" he whispered, his words enhancing the trance of the moment.

At his words, she finally leaned into his touch for a fraction of a second. It seemed to be exactly what he was waiting for. In an instant, he had moved from a kneeling position to sitting, dragging her face down into his lap and running his fingers over her skin again. She had never been in such a vulnerable position before and she struggled to move away. Trickster held her down, not roughly, simply keeping her in place until she stopped struggling.

"Are you done?" he wryly asked.

She was about to respond when she felt his hand slap her ass hard. She nearly jumped out of his lap, but he had anticipated this and held her down with his other hand, fingers wrapped tightly in her hair.

"No," he growled, "it won't be so simple this time. Your previous actions would have earned you ten at the least, but running off to the only men I couldn't possibly forgive you for? You've earned yourself twenty, my dear, and one more movement and that won't be all you'll get."

The harder she struggled, the harder the slaps became. Five came and went before she started to quietly sob, and when her struggles finally ended the slaps became softer, quicker, ending faster than she would have expected. He traced his hands over her heated flesh and she winced at the pain. One of his hands trailed lower, finding her soaking wet, and he turned her over to cradle her. She was past being ashamed now. If Trickster could make her fall prey to her darker desires, who was she to say no?

Laying her down on the cold floor, he harshly moved her wrists above her body, and then pulled her hair again so she yelped. She didn't move and she knew he noticed that she was already beginning to follow his orders. Her body begged for release even though she had barely touched him, and she sobbed out of need rather than pain. Forcefully, Trickster pushed two fingers inside of her, beginning a rapid pace that had her at the edge but wouldn't allow her to tumble. She moaned, begging, past caring, but still he kept her at the edge.

"Who do you belong to?" he growled in her ear, marking her neck yet again, this time hard enough to draw blood. He licked it away, arousing her further.

She didn't hesitate for a moment before whispering to him, "You! Please, please…

Speeding up painfully, she nearly screamed when he added another finger and whispered again, "I couldn't hear you, my pet."

Louder this time, she gave him what he had always desired.

"Master, please! Yours, just yours, please!"

Pulling out of her, she sobbed only for a moment before he gestured to remove himself of his clothing, slamming into her in one swift movement and filling her to the hilt. She screamed louder than she thought possible, wrapping her arms around her neck. He didn't seem to mind her moving away or the deep scratches she made down his back.

She nearly reached her climax before he ordered her harshly, "Oh no, you little minx, you aren't falling without me."

Trickster pounded into her harder, using her flexibility to move her legs to her shoulders, hitting just the right spot to make her scream over and over. In only a few moments, his movements became erratic, and he ordered her to fall. They both moaned their release, holding onto each other for any sanity they had left, kissing each other deeply as if terrified the moment would shatter.

He held her until she had finished shaking, soothing her with his caresses.

"Next time, try not to anger me to the point where I can't make this a longer experience."

Smiling, she nodded. She would agree to anything. After all, she was his now, and if she really thought about it, what shame could their be in being owned by Trickster?


	6. Continuation

Having fallen asleep in Trickster's arms, exhausted from their first night together, she awoke to find him staring at her. He had propped his head up with one arm, still holding her tightly with the other, and smiled at her as she sleepily turned to face him. She truly couldn't believe he had spent the entire night with her, convinced he would leave her there, or that he would only come around when he wanted her. It was an entirely different situation to have him looking at her softly, impulsively kissing her nose and tickling her as she giggled in response. She tickled him back but shrieked playfully as he rolled himself on top of her and pinned her down.

"That's not fair! You're bigger than me," she pouted.

"I'm always fair. I just make up the rules that define the terms," he joked back.

She winced as he ground against her and pushed her back into the floor, the welts from the previous night nowhere near to healing. Concerned, he pulled her into his lap and soothed her with his hands. She couldn't believe that she could get so much comfort from being coddled and petted like an animal, but there were many things she didn't believe, and it was easier to stop thinking all together. Slowly, she slipped her hand down his leg, hoping to play again, but he caught her hand.

"No, little one. Not until you've healed. I can't make new marks on you if these are still here, can I?"

With a gesture, he clothed them back in red and gold. Another gesture opened the curtain around them as he grabbed her by the neck.

"I'll come to you when you're ready. But don't even think of straying again, understand?"

Barely able to breathe, she nodded and he let her go, leaving her on the floor and disappearing into the darkness around them.

**One week later…**

For days, she had flung herself at her trapeze with fervid devotion, flying higher and turning faster than she had ever before. Slowly, the others trickled back to watch her, and the audience gave her an excuse to try her new tricks. She had never felt so alive and fully intend to use the energy she had discovered inside of her. It was practicing a particularly difficult dive that her grip on the bar slipped and she fell, thankfully caught by one of the twins. Both of them had watched her for some time, though she had carefully avoided their presence.

"I owe you one," she smiled at him

He bowed to her jokingly, but didn't say a word, so she asked what she had always wanted to do know: "Can't either of you talk? Or do you just wish not to?"

"We can..." began one.

"But our thoughts fly together and it's annoying…" continued the second.

"How it bounces back and forth," finished the first.

She rolled her eyes. No wonder she hadn't heard a word from them! It was even more frustrating that attempting to talk to that idiot King that wandered about looking for his crown. Her trapeze had lowered itself as it ran out of momentum, and the one that had caught her before grabbed her by the waist and lifted her back onto the bar. Bowing, they took their leave as she waved goodbye to them, then thought nothing more of it. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Trickster for the first time since they had spent the night together, and she sat worried. Was she not allowed to speak to others, either? The Innocent ran by chased by the skeletons again, and Trickster rolled his eyes at the fiasco. He smiled softly at her and bowed, something akin to admiration in his eyes, as he chased after his charge and attempted to keep him out of trouble yet again. Relieved, she returned to her flight, swinging idly in the air. Her hand touched the faint mark at her neck and she hummed to herself, happy to see that his control would not be as temperamental as she had feared.

Hours later, she had rocked herself to sleep upon the bar as it rocked near the floor, and awoke to find Trickster carrying her down from her perch. She snuggled into his arms as he carried her back to their secluded nook and closed the curtains once again, setting her back on her feet. With a flick of his scepter, the room seemed to glow with light, and he nodded to himself, happy with the look. Circling her like a hawk, he seemed to be memorizing her, reaching out to caress but so lightly that it drove her mad.

Wanting to touch him, she reached out, but he snatched her wrist violently, growling at her, "You do nothing without my permission, do you understand? No touching, no movements, no disobeying orders. You haven't learned to be patient yet and you'll get no rewards until you do."

His voice returning to a normal level, he sweetly commanded her, "Now, clothes off and on your knees, little one."

Meekly, she obeyed, and his eyes flickered with appreciation for a moment before returning to their sternness. He snaked his hands in her hair yanking her head back so their eyes met, and she could see his eyes were slowly growing darker. Abruptly, he let her go, and casually observed, "Perhaps it's best if you have something softer than a floor for this."

Pulling her up by one arm, he half led and half dragged her to a bed she had never seen before. She was slowly realizing that this room would have anything Trickster wanted and, even more frightening, anything he wanted to use on her. This clearly wouldn't end well. Nearly tripping as he shoved her onto the bed, she propped herself up on her arms as she watched him slowly approaching her, climbing on top of her but not touching her at all. Moments passed too slowly to notice as he waited for her to move, but she knew now what he expected and did nothing.

Intrigued at her docility, Trickster reached out and began to trace patterns over her breasts, making sure to avoid her nipples. He leaned closer, nibbling her neck and ear, but refused to meet her lips. Her pupils were black from desire yet she refused to respond, even biting her lip hard to keep from begging him, this time out of obedience rather than defiance. Nodding and smiling at her, he finally ground his hips against hers and kissed her passionately. Gently, he explored her mouth with his tongue, feeling her shiver as his kisses made her dizzy. Reaching lower, he took one nipple in his teeth and began to trace her folds, collecting the moisture and bringing it to her lips. Without thinking twice, she sucked them clean, and his smile grew much wider.

"I think you deserve something for good behavior, don't you?"

Trickster laughed at how quickly she nodded, clearly hoping he was being serious. Sliding off her body to lay next to her, he returned his hand lower and began to pump two fingers into her core. She bucked against him, begging and writhing, nearly screaming when he used his other hand to pinch her clit. But just as suddenly as she had ascended the peak of her climax, he stopped, allowing her desire to calm again. Whimpering, she turned to ask why, but he put one finger on her lips to stop her from speaking.

"Not until I say, dearest, no matter what."

_How can I possibly hold back when he's playing my body like an instrument?_

Harder and rougher this time, he pumped his fingers in and out of her, pausing only to shift lower and begin to trace her folds with his tongue. Her hips jumped off the bed at the response, and she sat up to watch him. Chuckling, he pushed her back down again and continued his ministrations, using only his tongue to spiral her higher and higher. Every time she was about to fall, he stopped, knowing her body well enough to see the responses. After three times, she couldn't hold herself back and screamed, falling over the precipice. At first, she believed he wasn't angry, as he simply continued to toy with her, licking up her release, but that relief was short lived.

Dragging both her wrists up, he conjured up enough ribbon to tie her to the bed's frame, comfortably enough that she could remain in the position. Giving her a quick kiss on the cheek, Trickster gracefully jumped off the bed.

"But I obeyed!" she whined pitifully.

"I never said a word otherwise. In fact, I wish to reward you for your compliance, and you can't blame me for wanting you to stay in one place until I return, can you?"

With a wink, he walked away from her, leaving her whimpering in the dark. She prayed that it was he that returned before someone else beat him to it.


	7. Endings and Beginnings

_Warnings: BDSM, sex, blah blah blah…_

She awoke to find herself surrounded in the darkness of the batlacan, a tug of her wrists confirming that she was still firmly tied to the bedposts. Trickster sat on the edge of the bed and watched her, their skin not touching but their bodies so close that it was enough to drive her mad. She would do anything to shift her body and touch him, but doing so without permission is what had gotten her here in the first place, so instead she waited for his next move.

"I have a gift for you," he whispered, so softly she almost didn't register it.

With a flick of his wrist, Trickster conjured a small object in his hands. It looked like a scrap of leather, but she couldn't fully identify it as it was just outside her line of vision.

"You need to earn it, little one. It isn't something I can give you without reason, understand?"

Confused, she nodded, not understanding what he meant but trusting him completely. At her reply, he flicked his wrist again so that the object disappeared, then inched closer to untie her from the bed. His lips grazed the skin of her wrists, kissing the bruises that had begun to form, though his fingers never lingered more than necessary. When he had untied her completely, he sat back and patted his lap. She didn't hesitate before crawling towards him and settling in his legs, purring as he played with her hair.

"I know it's difficult for you to understand your submission, but I need you to think carefully and explain to me exactly why you did so." He sensed her panicking slightly at the thought of becoming so open, and soothed her further with his hands. "For me, little one? Please? Can't you do this for your Master?"

Her breathing settled as she began to consider the question.

"It just…it felt right, Master, that's all."

"Did it feel right here, in this room, shut away? Or would it feel right if all the world saw?"

This was a more difficult question. She valued her pride more than anything, but at the same time found herself loving him with all her heart. Choosing between the two may have been impossible just a few weeks ago. Now, the decision didn't even need to be considered.

"It would always feel right," she whispered, surprising herself with how sure those words sounded in her ears.

Drawing her back up so that their eyes met, he paused before responding, "You need to do everything I ask. If you back out, if you cannot do something, I will let you go freely and without reproach, but I will never let you return. Take all of this, everything I will give you, and you will be mine. Do you understand?"

She nodded. Smiling, he pulled her close and muttered into her ear, "And this time, I want to hear every little whimper you make. Now turn over."

Dutifully, she left his lap and lay flat on her stomach. The bed creaked as he left it, and she opened her mouth to ask if he was leaving again. Instead, she felt her back caressed by leather, and turned to see that Trickster was running a small flogger up and down her back. She arched into the material and he chuckled at her impatience. Snapping his wrist, the tool left her skin and hit her smartly on her thighs. She jumped more out of surprise than anything, the sensation so quick that it barely stung.

"I don't punish you simply because you disobey, pet," he whispered as he allowed the flogger to slap her again. "I may do it to see you like this. Do you know how beautiful you are when you're writhing like that?" Another slap came down, finally hard enough to make her yelp softly. "I've been gentle so far, little one, but this, this can be a form of pleasure, too."

He alternated so that his blows never landed in the same position, from the curve of her thighs up the expanse of her back. When she became dizzy from the sensation, he stopped, moving his hands down her back. Her sensitivity heightened by the swats, she moaned even more receptively and shifted into his touch. His fingertips drifted lower to trace her outer folds and she jumped off the bed at the sudden touch.

"I still can't quite believe how receptive you are…" Trickster murmured as he dipped one finger inside of her.

She knew she was wet, more so from the flogging than anything else, and quickly started spiraling. "Please…I don't want to fall yet…"

Just as quickly, he withdrew his fingers, surprise tingeing his voice for the first time as he called her a good girl. He turned her face towards his to kiss her passionately before gently shifting her onto her knees. With a gesture, his clothing disappeared, and he pulled back to the farthest corner of the bed. Trickster's eyes grew darker as he watched her slowly crawl towards him, kissing his neck and shoulders as her hands touched every inch of his skin. He smiled to show he had her permission to continue, and her kisses went lower as her hand slowly stroked him. She kept her eyes focused on his as she leaned down and started to take him in her mouth, loving that for once she was the one causing him to lose control. His eyes closed tight as she swallowed him completely, moaning around his cock as he pulled her hair to not allow her to move from her position. Suddenly, he yanked her head back, keeping her at a distance.

"If you're not going to fall yet, pet, then perhaps I shouldn't either."

She giggled and blushed at the closest thing to a compliment he would ever pay to her skills. Leaning back, he fully reclined on the bed and pulled her on top of him, holding her close as their hips met. With one fluid motion, he had pushed into her, and she nearly fell at that moment from the sensation. His hand wrapped around her neck, cutting off her air, and she struggled for a moment before allowing him to continue thrusting into her. The lack of oxygen combined with his pace was the most exquisite pleasure she had ever felt.

His thrusts became erratic as he took his hand from her neck, "Now, little one. Look. At. Me." Trickster punctuated each of the last three words with a thrust as she struggled to focus her eyes on his, her moans increasing in pitch. "Tell me what I want to hear, pet…"

"I'm yours. I swear it, Master, yours completely body and soul…"

Her words tumbled out as they climaxed together, her screams filling the room. As their shudders subsided, he pulled her close, holding onto her as if she were the most precious thing in the world. Trickster played with her hair until her breathing returned to normal, laying gentle kisses on her face before sitting up with her again. With another movement, he conjured the item he had held just out of her reach before, placing it into her hands.

She gasped when she was able to see it. It was a collar, as red as her own outfit, deliciously smooth to the touch. The clasp was the same shade of gold as the one in Trickster's own costume, and he took it from her hands again once he saw her approval. Moving her hair out of the way, he wrapped it around her neck and locked it.

"Will you be mine, then? My pet, only my own, from here on?"

Nearly crying, she nodded and laughed as he picked her up and twirled her around. Looking at her, Trickster realized she had only ever seemed that happy when flying on the trapeze, and knew that she would never stray.

_Still_, he wondered, _I wonder if she will ever truly know that she owns my heart as clearly as I own hers?_

**A/N: I want to thank everyone that's been along for this story's little journey. I can't believe so many readers actually enjoyed my first fanfiction! I hope everyone that liked this piece will look at my other Trickster stories, since they'll be multiplying in my boredom after finishing this. ****.**


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